Full five for North Harbour

North Harbour scored a 44-30 bonus-point win over Manawatu on Sunday that boosts their top seven aspirations in the ITM Cup.

North Harbour scored a vital 44-30 bonus-point win over Manawatu on Sunday that boosts their hopes of finishing in the ITM Cup's top seven.

Number eight Mathew Luamanu was the home side's hero with three tries as Harbour went in at the break with the bonus point already sealed.

However, they took their foot off the gas in the second period as Manawatu came out from the sheds on fire to make life uncomfortable.

Harbour were hitting all the right notes in early patches though as Anthony Boric and Luke McAlister kept themselves in All Black thinking.

But the dogged defence of the visitors kept them at bay until tries from Ken Pisi and three from Luamanu in the latter stages of the half added to Michael Harris' early penalty. Manawatu had hit the front on eighteen minutes via the boot of Isaac Thompson.

Manawatu's aforementioned comeback after the break saw lock Michael Fitzgerald, Craig Clare and captain Frank Bryant all touch down, but their spirited effort was in vein.